Thank you to the Downtown Bennington Alliance for your February 2nd visit to Churchill’s and this wonderful article.
HOOSICK FALLS COUNTRY CLUB RISES FROM THE ASHES, AND DINNER IS SERVED AGAIN COURTESY OF CHEF ROBERT ANDREW!
Director’s note: Some 13 months after a fire destroyed Hoosick Falls Country Club, Chef Robert Andrew sent the DBA an invitation to dinner at the club’s reborn and rebuilt Churchill’s Tavern. We asked DBA photo essayist Loretta Hemm (MAU 2000) if she wanted to go, YES, and she took her husband Matt (MAU ’03) to enjoy a nice meal at Churchill’s on Tuesday night.
MY MOST RECENT ADVENTURE for the DBA took me out of Bennington across the border to Hoosick Falls, New York. Matthew and I enjoyed a fantastic night at Hoosick Falls Country Club, home of Churchill’s Tavern.
HFCC has been through more than most businesses could bear. They survived the pandemic only to be blindsided by a fire on Christmas Eve 2022 that destroyed the kitchen, dining room, storage area, and lawn care equipment.
Most business owners may have thrown in the towel but Jamie Jerome chose to go forward. He always wanted to own a golf course and would not let his dream go up in flames.
Jamie Jerome is passionate about community. To him, a community isn’t just one town but surrounding communities too. We all help each other. Without support and patronage from surrounding communities — Manchester, Cambridge, Bennington, Arlington, Pownal, Shaftsbury, Woodford, Williamstown — his business would not be successful. Jamie told me how he is thankful for the surrounding community supporting his business.
Our Bennington connection stretches all over the word. Jamie is a prime example. His family is directly related to British Prime Minister Winston Churchill; Winston’s mom was a Jerome, a fact Jamie is very proud of. You might even have known Staff Sgt. James Colgate Jerome who served in World War II as the only cousin of Churchill’s to see combat. He was also a Benningtonian, select board member, and owner of the Mt. Anthony Country Club.
Read more on the Jeromes, Churchills, and Colgates: http://winstonchurchill.org/…/when-heroes-were…
Read even more: http://www.benningtonbanner.com/…/article_0e04aed5-5903…
Proudly displayed on the back wall of this reborn eatery hangs a famous portrait of U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin from the Yalta Conference of 1945. Below the portrait is a quote that reads “Someday they’re gonna name a restaurant after us.” This family legacy and quote provided the inspiration for the name Churchill’s Tavern.
Chef Robert Andrew is another Benningtonian whose culinary creations are well known from his endeavors at Bennington Station and Mt. Anthony Country Club.
Chef Robert Andrew has cooked all his life, there’s nothing he’d rather do. He claims he has never worked a day in his life. When you find your passion it doesn’t feel like work. The 1986 MAU grad has perfected his craft and his food is as beautiful to the eye as it is delicious. He prides himself on using quality ingredients to create wonderful dishes.
— Watch GNAT’s 2019 interview with Chef Robert Andrew: https://youtu.be/R0Pej–uBSg
Now for dinner at Churchill’s Tavern with my husband …
The newly renovated tavern once held the country club’s golf equipment. The space is cozy enough for date night but large enough to accommodate a family celebration dinner. Churchill’s is situated on a hill overlooking Hoosick Falls with a view of the mountains. You can imagine the scenery in the spring and summer will be spectacular even more with outdoor seating.
Matt and I were so caught up in conversation with Jamie and Chef Robert that we forgot to order appetizers and went straight to entrées.
Matt ordered the 8-ounce prime certified filet mignon and I got the slow-braised angus boneless short ribs.
The filet was cooked perfectly and was juicy and tender.
My short ribs were also fantastic served with a savory gravy.
Both meals were served with roasted carrots and parsnips.
If you are unfamiliar with the taste of parsnips don’t feel ashamed. I too am new to the world of parsnips. Chef Robert Andrew knows how to get you to eat your veggies. Parsnips have just a touch of sweetness (like a mild sweet potato) and a little spice like black pepper. The hearty root vegetables with the ribs were perfect for the cold weather.
After our filling dinner we decided to take a slice of carrot cake back home for dessert. Our carrot cake did not last long and it was so very fresh and flavorful. I would definitely recommend saving room for dessert when dining at Churchill’s. Or taking some home like we did.
The carrot cake (and other desserts) was sourced from BlueEyeBaker of Hoosick Falls, owned by Bridget Crawford, who provides local eateries (including Brown’s Brewery, Mount Anthony-Country Club, and Iron Coffee in Hoosick Falls) with delicious baked goods.
The whole meal from start to finish was wonderful. The staff was friendly and helpful and the food was excellent.
Make sure to check out Churchill’s weekday specials including English Pub Night, Pasta Night and a Sunday Brunch.
You can also make reservations for Valentine’s Day. You might end up sitting next to Matt and Me, the more the merrier!
Thank you for the invitation, Jamie and Chef Robert Andrew!